LETTERS: NORTH COUNTY, JAN. 31, 2013

Distorted, cheap shot

On Jan. 25, the U-T North County Times chose to feature a cartoon by Lisa Benson. It showed Hillary Clinton leaving the Benghazi hearing with the quote, “What difference does it make?”

The implication is that her comment, while being interrogated, showed her indifference to the deaths of four Americans.

Her words were taken out of context. She said that the important thing was to prevent such a thing from happening again and that, whether it was a terrorist attack or a spontaneous demonstration “did not matter.”

It seems like a dishonest, distorted cheap shot.

Alice Kelley

Escondido

Would welcome serious gun control discussion

If there was an example of “Nonsense on gun control,” Jack Davis’ letter of Jan. 25 is a prime example.

1. “The Second Amendment gives us a right to bear arms.” Jack says “false” and mumbles about the “militia.” Jack needs to read the Supreme Court decision, “District of Columbia v Heller.”

2. “More guns means less crime.” Jack quotes statistics only related to gun crimes. The International Crime Victims Survey (Leiden University) found that among industrialized nations, Great Britain ranked second in violent crime (26 percent). Australia led the list with more than 30 percent. The United States didn’t even make the top 10.

3. “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” is false, according to Jack. Everyone knows that guns kill people. If I were to smack Jack in the head with a baseball bat, who would be at fault? According to Jack’s logic, it was the bat.

I’d welcome a serious discussion, but so far, almost everyone has avoided what prompted the discussion in the first place; the mentally ill and their access to firearms. Oddly enough, no one seems to want to go there.

Dan Shapiro

Oceanside

Scruples, priorities and changes by politicos

Million-, billion- and trillion-dollar budgets demand changes by us to assure we truly get what we want at affordable prices. ...

A U-T North County Times editorial alludes to the potential waste of Oceanside and state resources by Mayor Jim Wood of Oceanside, in controlling the building of access roads to and from the 78 through the San Diego Association of Governments, and infers union twisting of his policies with regard to roads and with regard to staffing and salaries/pensions of police and fire (“Wood ouster would make Oceanside safer,” Jan. 2). ...

It explains that he has threatened to sue to get his way, with his lawyer, a city attorney, who, it appears, will sell out to the highest bidder ... . Yet, it appears the electorate blithely sits by, fragmented and taking this bullying, when it is our tax dollars at stake at every level of government. Oceanside’s determined participation of mobile-home park residents coalesced around that issue and held a public conversation that seemed to straighten out the issues around Oceanside absentee owners, robbing seniors of their security and equity, with support.

Likewise, this needs to happen here. Sitting back and letting talking heads take the lead does not serve our best interests. The entrenched politicians have exhibited a lack of scruples and priorities, and bend to the public highest good once in office. ... We have too many dollars being directed using similar scruples and priorities.

Robert Focosi

San Marcos

Women in combat

Success in combat is dependent upon unit performance. Combat arms units (Infantry, Armor and Artillery) will not function as well with female members. This means that no matter how good the women are (even though there are few who will qualify), those combat units will be degraded by that integration. It will make our military and our culture less strong.

Why? Because men and women are different! Women give birth, and provide nurturing. Men impregnate women and provide protection. Men do not relate the same to women as they do to other men. To young men, women are a distraction. Men are constantly looking to fulfill their role of impregnating women. This dynamic leads to serious problems when men and women are mixed in the environment of combat units training and deploying.

It is not a matter of female abilities; it is a matter of what is best for the overall effectiveness of our combat units. Also, it will not speak well of our culture or our future by sending our women into potential front line combat such as that in Vietnam. That would be grossly degrading to our whole nation.

What in the world are these “leaders” thinking?

John Dowell

U.S. Marine Corps (retired)

veteran, Vietnam

Oceanside

Lawbreakers are lawbreakers

In a recent letter (“Obama-bashing letters lack substance,” Jan. 26), David Miller stated that letters critical of President Obama lack substance and are factually incorrect. Here’s some substance and facts for Mr. Miller.

A federal appeals court ruled that President Obama violated the Constitution in making recess appointments. Fact.

When a person breaks the law, they are lawbreakers. I am an independent voter and when President Bush broke the law, I called him a lawbreaker. If the Pope violated the Constitution, I’d call him a lawbreaker.

Some people will rationalize the president’s behavior by stating that its just “politics as usual.” That’s another ridiculous excuse by people who want to rationalize bad behavior. Nobody gets a free pass in the government, regardless of their party affiliation, religion, race or sexual orientation, The president and other politicians were elected to do a job. If they break the law, then I’m going to hold them accountable. I’m going to rant, complain and, most of all, bash every one of them.

If David Miller is so concerned about Obama’s feelings, then he should contact the president and tell him not to violate the Constitution or any other laws in the future.

Bethany Moriarty

Oceanside

Complain to senators

It’s my understanding that, by law, the United States Senate is to pass a budget annually. The current Democrat-controlled Senate has not done so for three years.

I find it to be unconscionable and disturbing that one of our federal legislative bodies refuses to comply with one of its own laws. I’ve not heard any comment on this issue from either of our illustrious senators, one of whom, by the way, is very vocal and active in an attempt to limit our Second Amendment rights.